Historic Preservation Commission Meeting

MINUTES CITY OF DRIPPING SPRINGS HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION Monday, August 5, 2013 Regular Meeting City Hall, 511 Mercer Street Dripping Springs, Texas I. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Chairman Ted Lehr calls the meeting to order at 5:35 pm and takes roll call. Present: Commissioner Ted Lehr – Chair; Commissioner Charlie Haydon; Commissioner John Holdridge; Commissioner John McIntosh-Vice Chair; and Commissioner Linda Freeman. Also present is City Administrator Michelle Fischer. Absent: Commissioner Kathryn Chandler and Commissioner Karl Seelbach. II. CONSENT A. Approval of Special Meeting Minutes, July 1, 2013-Commissioner McIntosh makes a motion to approve the special meeting minutes, seconded by Commissioner Haydon. VOTE: all in favor. The motion is carried. III. BUSINESS A. Proposal from Artists Alliance of the Hill Country for Art Mural at The Triangle, located at 27500 Ranch Road 12-Commissioners review the request and note that the murals should read “Historic,” not “Historical.” Commissioner McIntosh makes a motion to recommend the proposal go to the City Council for consideration; Sample #1 is recommended on the south side of the building; the pennant on the left side should be made into an arrow pointing towards Mercer Street like Sample #2; change to “Historic;” and if Hotel Occupancy Tax funds can be used on the mural, the Commission recommends that the City pay for a portion of the mural with the funds, seconded by Commissioner Haydon. VOTE: all in favor. The motion is carried. B. Proposal for Update of Historic Resources Survey-Commissioner Lehr states that he would like the Commission to get proposals for updating the historic resource survey, particularly for properties on Old Fitzhugh Road, and then based on the updated survey consider possible historic district and/or landmark designations. He states that the Comprehensive Plan has these as goals and he would like to see it done before the Old Fitzhugh Road area . He states that proposals could be requested from Eugene Foster and Terri Myers. Commissioner McIntosh states that when the Historic District was first adopted, the area south of Highway 290 that is part of the original town was considered for inclusion in the district, but was not included. He would like to update the survey for that area too and look at it for possible district/landmark designations. Commissioner Freeman makes a motion to request proposal for updating the  survey of historic properties in the City Limits, except for the area included in the National Register of Historic Places nomination since those were recently surveyed, and to request itemized costs estimates in the proposals for Old Fitzhugh Road, south of Highway 290 in the original town area, and other areas as appropriate. Commissioner McIntosh seconds the motion. VOTE: all in favor. The motion is carried. C. Possible Designation of Historic District or Landmark Designations on Old Fitzhugh Road-discussed as part of previous agenda item. No action taken regarding possible designation. D. Update on City of Dripping Springs STP MM CAMPO Project CSJ: 0914-33- 065: Mercer Street Pedestrian Improvement Project-Ms. Fischer gives a report meeting packet. Bids are due August 15th and City Council is expected to consider the bids and make a recommendation on August 20th. Construction is expected to being by October and the contract time is 60 business days for substantial completion. E. Certificate of Appropriateness for 296 Mercer St., Brad Kimmel, Applicant 1. Presentation-none. 2. Staff Report-Ms. Fischer gives an overview of the application. The applicant requests approval to construct a wood screen on the sides of the HVAC condenser. The Certificate of Appropriateness for the building showed the screen to be made of masonry, therefore the Commission is being asked to consider it again. She reports that the wood screen requires approval of a special exception from the City’s Exterior Design Guidelines, which will be considered at the next Planning & Zoning Commission meeting. 3. Public Hearing-no one speaks. 4. Certificate of Appropriateness-Commissioner Haydon makes a motion to approve the application, seconded by Commissioner McIntosh. VOTE: all in favor. The motion is carried. F. Certificate of Appropriateness for 332 Mercer Street, Mercer Street Dance Hall, Nicholas Dotin, Applicant 1. Presentation-none. 2. Staff Report-Ms. Fischer gives an overview of the application for a steel hanging sign and steel sign added to the existing pole sign. 3. Public Hearing-no one speaks. 4. Certificate of Appropriateness-Commissioner Haydon makes a motion to approve the application with the condition that the sign’s illumination is powered by solar or battery that is inconspicuously installed and with the recommendation for beautification of the pole sign bottom, seconded by Commissioner Freeman. VOTE: all in favor, the motion is carried.  G. Update on the Nomination of the Dripping Springs Downtown Historic District to the National Register of Historic Places – Ms. Fischer reports that the City finally received the official notice that the downtown historic district was listed on the National Register. H. Update on Application to the Texas Department of Transportation’s Transportation Enhancement Program for enhancement along Mercer Street including landscaping, historical markers, benches, and other enhancements from FM 12 to U.S. 290 in downtown Dripping Springs-Ms. Fischer reports that the City was officially notified that it was not awarded funding. She does not what how the City ranked in the applications. I. Mercer Street Improvement Project: Pedestrian Enhancements and Landscaping 1. Selection of Improvements, including Benches, Waste Receptacles, Potted Plants, Landscaping, Signage, Art 2. Buffer Wall and Kiosk 3. Fundraising-Commissioner Freeman gives a report on fundraising and shows them the booklet that were made. 4. Publicity 5. Special Events-Ms. Fischer reports that a fundraising event is being planned for local businesses and will be held at The Barber Shop in the next few months. J. Proposed Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Requests-Commissioners review the draft request and add the proposal for updating the historic resources survey and half of the cost of one mural proposed by the Artists Alliance of the Hill Country, assuming that Hotel Occupancy Tax funds can be used on it. Commission Haydon makes a motion to approve the budget request as revised, seconded by Commissioner Freeman. VOTE: all in favor. The motion is carried. IV. ANNOUNCEMENTS A. Regular City Council Meeting, August 13, 2013, 5:30 p.m. B. Regular Historic Preservation Commission Meeting, September 9, 2013, 5:30 p.m. V. ADJOURN-Commissioner Lehr adjourns the meeting at 7:29 pm.